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Munster Senior Football Semi Final

posted 12 Jun 2017, 13:29 by John O'Sullivan

KERRY.......................1-18 CLARE..................1-12

by Michael O Connor.

The one that got away or false reality. Two
viewpoints of this entertaining Munster senior semi final played before
5,786 patrons in Cusack Park, Sunday. A powerful start, a poor second
quarter. Missed chances in the opening ten minutes of the second half
before a succession of scores in the middle of the second half topped
off with a Kerry goal made up the story of this game.

Following on from the solid showing in Killarney
the year previous allied to Clare holding onto division two status and a
years experience hopes were high of a solid showing. The presence of
James O Donoghue on the Kerry side was to prove match winning for Kerry
as Clare had no one to really curb the Legion club player. Ironically
Clare had multiple chances in the opening ten minutes to go five clear
but spurned three great points chance. On the other hand they did show
greatly early on with two stunning efforts from David Tubridy before
Keelan Sexton pointed a free. James O Donoghue and Paul Geaney who acted
a powerful support act to Donoghue kept Kerry in touch.

The huge Kerry away support that must have
outnumbered the home support by 2 to 1 at the very least appeared muted
for most of the opening half as Clare to their credit were more than a
match for Eamonn Fitzmaurice's side.

Over the course of the game referee Padraig
Hughes issued 12 yellow cards to eleven different players with Donnacha
Walsh picking up the first of two conceding a penalty to Keelan Sexton
that David Tubridy converted to see Clare surge five clear. Instead of
adding further scores to heap pressure on Kerry the Clare challenge
stuttered as O Donoghue got into gear. He struck two in two minutes as
Paul Geaney also on target cut the Kerry deficit to two points in the
25th minute. Donnacha Walsh received his second yellow card to reduce
Kerry to 14 players but this did not stall the Kerry revival unduly as O
Donoghue (3) in a five minutes spell sent Kerry (0-8) to (1-4) clear.
The final score of the first half fell to Ciaran Russell that forced
parity (1-5) to (0-8) entering the dressingrooms for the interval break
with strong wind and rain an unwelcome pairing.

Goals and three at least would be needed by Clare
to win this tie even with the elements backing them in the second half.
Eoin Cleary opened the second half in a positive trend with the first
score as Cathal O Connor sent over a huge long range free off the ground
as Clare stretched two clear by the 39th minute. The most important
substitution of the day fell to Kerry as they brought on Stephen O
Brien who was the key factor in the second half for Kerry alongside O
Donoghue. O Brien and Cleary swopped scores before Paul Geaney and
Michael Geaney were on target to leave the side level on (1-8) to (0-11)
by the 43rd minute.

Kerry were now rampant as Clare were on the
backfoot losing midfield and definitely curtailed up front with ease by a
now dominant Kerry defence. Between the 45th and 51st minute Kerry
through O Donoghue (3) and Anthony Maher raced (0-15) to (1-8) ahead.
Clare responded with a brace of scores from Tubridy and Cleary by the
54th minutes as Clare now needed a goal but the best was a cannoned
effort off the crossbar by Jamie Malone. Just when it appeared that
Clare might make a strong showing in the last ten minutes they were
struck for (1-2) and this sealed the game. O Donoghue and substitute
Bryan Sheehan (free) were on target before Stephen O Brien waltzed past
three Clare players and coolly slotted past Joe Hayes as Kerry went
seven points clear. Shane Enright made it eight before two late
consolation scores from Eoin Cleary did show that Clare were competitive
throughout but lacked finish in the last third of the field.

Best for the winners who now move onto play Cork
in the munster final included Shane Enright, Paul Murphy, Anthony Maher,
Michael Geaney, Paul Geaney, James O Donoghue, Stephen O Brien and
Fionn Fitzgerald. Clare had good displays but not enough consistency
from Gary Brennan, David Tubridy, Eoin Cleary, Martin McMahon, Cathal O
Connor and Jamie Malone.